Tennis economy up 3%, says new TIA report

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. — Tennis in the U.S. is a $5.57 billion business, according to the latest edition of the State of the Industry report, just released by the Tennis Industry Association (TIA). That represents a 3% increase in the total tennis economy from 2011.

The third edition of the TIA State of the Industry report compiles data from 2012 that the TIA collects through its more than 70 annual surveys and research studies. The State of the Industry report takes a top-level view of a variety of trends and segments in the industry to tell a comprehensive “story of the tennis industry,” says TIA Executive Director Jolyn de Boer.

The report presents important TIA data, trends and analysis so that tennis businesses of all types can benefit by seeing where this industry has been, where it is now, and where it’s going. Important for the industry is the 10% growth in the number of “frequent” tennis players, those who play at least 21 times a year, to 5.31 million in 2012. Frequent players account for more than 70% of all expenditures in tennis, including buying equipment, paying for lessons and court time, and playing league tennis and more.

Other highlights from this year’s report include:

A 4% increase in overall tennis participation, to 28 million players, and the highest participation level since 2009.

An increase in the TIA’s new “Tennis Equipment Index,” which was up 3 points over the 2011 valuation. The index is derived from taking the wholesale dollar value of racquets, balls, and strings shipped into the U.S. tennis market.
2% growth in racquet unit sales for pro/specialty tennis retailers.

Increased business for both teaching pros and court contractors in 2012.

3% growth in total hours of tennis TV coverage and 14% growth in unique TV viewers of tennis in 2012, driven by viewership of the 2012 London Olympics.

“The tennis industry moved in a positive direction in 2012,” says TIA President Greg Mason. “Like many other industries, we still have challenges, but the TIA, together with our industry partners and the U.S. Tennis Association, is focused on strengthening this industry and the business of tennis. The extensive research that the TIA does is unique among sports, and it’s an important part of our support of this industry. By continuing to narrow our focus and developing meaningful initiatives and delivery systems, we will best serve the TIA members to grow the business of tennis both short term and long term.”

The 16-page State of the Industry report also details the growth in youth tennis participation; tells the reasons why people played more or less tennis in 2012; presents dealer, teaching pro, and court builder expectations; and much more.

The report is organized in four sections:

The Economy and Tennis - Including comparing trends in the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the Consumer Confidence Index to overall trends in the tennis economy.

Demand - Highlighting participation trends as well as playing habits of the industry’s key revenue driver, frequent players. The section also includes frequent player spending on tennis equipment and goals for industry growth.

Supply - Manufacturers, Retailers, Facilities, Court Contractors, Teaching Pros, Media, and Organizations comprise the supply/service side of the tennis industry. The State of the Industry highlights trends in wholesale shipments for manufacturers, trends affecting the tennis retail market, tennis facility performance data, business trends from court contractors, and the current state of the tennis industry from the perspective of teaching professionals.

Competitive Tennis - This section highlights competitive tennis at the recreational, collegiate, and professional levels, including participation, attendance, prize money and sponsorship trends.

The TIA’s State of the Industry report is an annual release made available to Industry Level members of the TIA and above. If you would like more information on how to obtain a copy of the report, contact the TIA at research@tennisindustry.org or 866- 686-3036.